St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-25

Round trips. 900
Single tickets. ..................1I 6.0
Merriam Park
Ei. 'rips 1'00OO
single .............-.....,.. 1000
Manchester
Round trips. ................. :. 1000
Hamline-
Round trips. ..................... 900
Single. ..... 1000
st. Anthony Park
Round trips .....-..-. 1880
Sihsle.-.' .---.--'.- 1900. 49, ooo
Total per month. .........- 4s3:doo
Wherever the words ''round trips''
appear it will be understood that the
number following is double the number
of tickets sold. For instance. there are
1000 tickets to Merriam Park sold every
month. making $4,000 single trips; the
same process of figuring is applied to
tickets from depot to depot. 1t must be
borne in mind that these figures are en-
tirely exclusive of through travel, of
which there is vast amount. PaSsen-
gers who go from Minneapolis to st.
Paul en- route from the East, OF from st.
Paul to Minneapolis en- route West are
not included in these figures, which re-
late only to what are known as short
line passengers. And there are $780,
600 of them every year, turning in to the
various railroads which carry them the
princely sum of S1.250.0 G0 per annum.
The question of rates need not be
dwelled upon here. That a long and
persistent howl over exorbitant charges
has gone up is well enough known to all
interested, and the fact that this passen-
ger service is very lucrative has induced
capitalists to enter the field as Compel
itOrS. At least two rapid transit compa-
q a i'm I.x-c In
construct lines between the two cities,
and one has already gone SO far as to re-
ceive figures from an electric company.
1t said the rapid transit company
of which S. G. Gale is virtually the
head, has selected a right of way which
takes the Como avenue route out of
Minneapolis, passes north of the fair
ground and circles into st. Paul some
where near the Rice street crossing of
the Manitoba. The line is about eleven
miles in lengtll-a little longer than the
Short lineEand its construction. of
course. involves the improvement of
considerable land, which will be thus
brought into the market. 1t has been
estimated that a double track, elevated
road will cost, fully equipped, $3.50, 900
mile, or about S2,0G0,O00 for the line.
including bridge at Minneapolis, for
the line must of necessity run to the
business center OF the city. 1t Is claimed
such line will be almost absolutely
safe and that rate of speed of fifty
miles an hour may easily be attained
The company is exceedingly reticent
concerning its plans, as there will be
the usual difficulty In obtaining right of
way and until this is secured there will
be no intimation of the exact line of the
road.
1t is said the new line will reduce the
round trip to 25 cents, or one-half the
present rate. making virtually street car
rates, according to distance, and will re-
duce the time to not exceeding Is min
utes each way. The time on the short
lines is now 25 minutes. though Mani
toba through and lake trains, running
without stops, cover the distance easily
in IS minutes. This new scheme is at
tracing considerable public attention
and next spring will probably branch
out on large scale 1t is backed by
capital, in Minneapolis and st. Paul, of
at least S15,O00,000.